Webmaster’s note: This is a brand new feature by our Play-by-play announcer, Brian Carroll, who also happens to be a heck of a writer. Look for Brian’s “From the Press Box” story every week!
By Brian Carroll
On paper, the 2026 season opener looked like it would be better suited for a November playoff date. With Strath Haven and Chester totaling four appearances in the last five District 1 5A title games, testing both teams with a head-to-head matchup in Week One after just a few weeks of practices was a tall task for both teams. And sometimes what is “on paper” lives up to the billing, and the Panthers and Clippers went toe-to-toe in a fast and physical slugfest that saw Chester claim a 22-10 victory.
Both teams started the game with momentum changing plays, as a big hit from Haven’s Tyler Slaughter on the opening kickoff jarred the ball from the arms of Chester’s Sekai Brown Murray. Cole Haly’s recovery set up the Panthers on the edge of the red zone, only to see Chester’s outstanding defensive tackle, #5 Zion Santana, pounce on a fumbled exchange on the very next snap. From there, Chester’s offense moved the ball well for much of the first half, piling up 183 total yards and nine first downs, much of it on the legs of freshman sensation Sa’Mhad “Sam” Williams. Williams’ bruising style and speed accounted for the first 8 points of the night midway through the second quarter, while the Haven offense struggled to find it’s footing. Brown-Murray atoned for his turnover on the opening play with a big play in the secondary, climbing over a Haven receiver for an interception and returning it deep into Panther territory. From there, Santana bulled his way into the end zone and the Clippers had a seemingly comfortable 16-0 lead. 
But outsized and significantly outgained in the first 18 minutes, the Panthers managed a solid drive with tough running from Landon Barlow (132 rush yards) and Derek Bradley that netted a 29-yard field goal from Matt Styer just before halftime, and some much-needed momentum leading into the third quarter. The Panthers continued show some grit after the break, putting together an 11-play, 72-yard scoring drive that featured two nice connections from quarterback Jake Plunkett and split end Jalen Starr (4 catches for 59 yards), the last of which finished in the end zone on fourth down from the 14-yard line. And after a red zone interception from senior cornerback John Reilly, the Panthers controlled the clock and the line of scrimmage to the Chester 11-yard line. But a third down stop from Clippers’ linebacker Shane McClain and a fourth down pressure from Chester’s Darren Sutton thwarted the Panthers’ potential go ahead score. From there, the Clippers finished well, with Williams (181 rush yards) doing much of the legwork on an 89-yard scoring drive in the final four minutes.
Despite the loss, the Panthers have reasons for optimism in the weeks ahead. Not many teams in District 1 will match Chester’s combination of size, skill, and speed. As expected, Zyon Santana, who set up shop in the Panther backfield for much of the evening, was a dominant force. Sekai Brown-Murray, who in addition to the game-changing interception, had three big first downs on receptions and made multiple touchdown-saving tackles. Still, the Panthers were just yards away from taking a lead in the final minutes, and expect that the offensive line with three new starters will continue to improve. “We were so close at the end. But we just have to be a little better,” said Haven’s Tyler Slaughter, who played well at defensive tackle. “And we will be.”
